Performance Evaluation of Triboelectric Nanogenerator (TENG) Using Different Triboelectric Materials and Substrates for Energy Harvesting

In this research work, we have demonstrated the fabrication and characterization of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) using different substrates such as ITO coated glass, FTO coated glass, ITO coated PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) which will be acting as rigid as well as flexible substrates. Various triboelectric materials selected from triboelectric series depending upon their position in the triboelectric series are deposited on these substrates. One layer consists of metal which includes aluminum, copper, stainless steel and gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) where as the other layer of polymer consists of Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) which is basically a cross-linking polymer having insulating properties. Thus, the devices that are fabricated consisted of metal-insulator based TENG which is a two-layer model. These devices are then characterized physically, which includes field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX), and elemental mapping in order to authenticate the deposition of desired materials on the substrates. In order to characterize the devices electrically, force in the form of weights is applied using linear coil actuator and then the open circuit voltages and the short circuit currents are calculated whereas voltages, currents, and powers under different load conditions are also calculated.